The present invention generally relates to machining control systems and more specifically relates to an electroerosion machining control system modified from an N/C machining control system.
Electroerosion machining is a non-traditional machining technique that uses electrical current to remove material from a workpiece, including Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM), ElectroDischarging Machining (EDM), Electro-Chemical Discharge Machining (ECDM), for example. In EDM, a DC voltage is applied to an electrode and the workpiece, and the workpiece is eroded by a spark formed in a gap between the electrode and the workpiece. A dielectric liquid is usually forced into the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. In ECM, an electrode is placed in proximity to the workpiece and an electric potential is placed across the drill electrode and the workpiece. Electrolyte is forced into the gap between the electrode and the workpiece, and work material is removed by electro-chemical action. The ECDM process is partly spark erosion and partly electro-chemical.
Commercially available electroerosion machines include control systems for controlling the electroerosion machining process. Such a control system is generally embedded in the machine that cannot be modified or re-developed for operators or customers.